YouthLead: Inclusive digital future for all

Summary

This discussion focused on creating an inclusive digital future, addressing the digital divide, and empowering youth through technology. Speakers emphasized the importance of bridging digital gaps, particularly for marginalized communities and developing countries. They highlighted the need for universal internet access, digital literacy, and affordable devices to ensure equal opportunities in the digital age.

The conversation touched on the potential of AI and emerging technologies to drive innovation and sustainable development, while also acknowledging associated risks such as bias and privacy concerns. Speakers stressed the importance of responsible AI development that reflects diverse cultures and languages.

Government representatives shared initiatives to engage youth in digital policymaking and foster innovation. The importance of intergenerational cooperation and mentorship was emphasized to nurture young leaders in the tech sector. Speakers also discussed the role of space technology in expanding connectivity and the need for policies that support innovative solutions.

The discussion highlighted the critical role of education in closing the digital divide, with examples of peer learning platforms and initiatives to improve digital skills. Intellectual property rights were addressed as a means to empower youth innovation and entrepreneurship.

Throughout the session, there was a strong emphasis on youth leadership and inclusion in shaping digital policies and technologies. Speakers called for greater representation of young voices in decision-making processes and the development of digital solutions that address local needs. The discussion concluded with a reminder of the challenges faced by youth in conflict zones and a call for inclusive thinking in technological development.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– The need to bridge the digital divide and ensure inclusive access to technology, especially for youth in underserved areas

– The importance of engaging and empowering youth in digital policymaking and governance

– Leveraging AI and emerging technologies responsibly to advance sustainable development goals

– Promoting digital skills, literacy and innovation among young people

– Addressing ethical challenges like AI bias and online safety

Overall purpose:

The discussion aimed to explore how to create an inclusive, equitable and youth-led digital future that harnesses technology to achieve sustainable development while addressing challenges like the digital divide.

Tone:

The tone was largely optimistic and forward-looking, with speakers emphasizing the potential for youth to drive positive change through technology. There was also a sense of urgency about the need to act quickly to shape an inclusive digital future. The tone became more somber at the very end when conflicts and hardships faced by youth in some regions were highlighted.

Speakers

Moderators/Facilitators:

– Moderator: Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla, Major Group of Children and Youth, Science Policy, Tech Focal Point

Speakers:

– Sara Sabry – First Female African Astronaut; Executive Director of Deep Space Initiative

– Melissa Michelle Munoz Suro – ITU Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Board, GDirector of Innovation at the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies of the Dominican Republic

– Zubair Junjunia – Social Entrepreneur and founder of ZNotes and UNDP & Samsung Generation17 Young Leader 

– Mohamed Orman Bangura – Minister of Youth Affairs, Sierra Leone

– Eylul Ercin – Global Teen Advisor, Girl Up, United Nations Foundation

– Hamza Hameed – ITU SG Youth Advisory board member; Senior Practice Manager for Space & Connectivity, Access Partnership Singapore

– Emra Mian – Director General for Digital Technologies and Telecom, UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

– Yurii Romashko – CEO of the think tank Institute of Analytics and Advocacy

– Daniella Darlington – ITU Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Board member

– Anatola Araba – Artist, futurist, and award-winning filmmaker

– Doreen Bogdan-Martin – ITU Secretary General

– Nchimunuya Munyama – CEO at Netagrow Technologies

– Marcos Athias Neto – Assistant Administrator and Director, for Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) UNDP

– Clara Brown – Observer Constituency Representative, UNFCCC

– Edward Kwakwa – Assistant Director General, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector, WIPO

– Priscilla Efe Johnson – Founder of XariAfrica Academy and UNDP & Samsung Generation17 Young Leader 

– Tayma Abdalhadi – Innovator of User-centric, Digital Solutions

Areas of expertise cover digital inclusion, AI, space technology, youth empowerment, sustainable development, innovation, and intellectual property rights.

Expanded Summary of Discussion on Creating an Inclusive Digital Future

Introduction

This discussion brought together a diverse group of speakers, including youth leaders, government officials, and representatives from international organisations, to explore the creation of an inclusive digital future. The conversation centred on addressing the digital divide, empowering youth through technology, and leveraging emerging technologies for sustainable development. Throughout the session, there was a strong emphasis on youth leadership and inclusion in shaping digital policies and technologies, with the audience repeatedly affirming their desire for a “youth-led” digital future.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. Bridging the Digital Divide

A primary focus of the discussion was the persistent digital divide and its disproportionate impact on youth and marginalised communities. Speakers highlighted various aspects of this divide:

– Infrastructure gaps: Emra Mian emphasised the limited connectivity and access to devices in underserved areas.

– Digital skills gap: The need to improve digital literacy and skills, especially for youth, was stressed.

– Gender gap: Doreen Bogdan-Martin pointed out the disproportionate impact on women and girls.

– Rural-urban divide: Clara Brown highlighted the lack of access in rural and remote areas.

– Economic barriers: Yurii Romashko discussed the high costs of devices and internet access.

While there was consensus on the existence and importance of the digital divide, speakers differed in their emphasis on specific aspects. This suggests a need for multifaceted approaches to address the issue comprehensively.

2. Youth Empowerment in Digital Policymaking

The discussion strongly advocated for increased youth representation and empowerment in digital policymaking:

– Youth representation: Mohamed Bangura stressed the need for youth voices in digital policymaking.

– Mentorship: Doreen Bogdan-Martin highlighted the importance of intergenerational cooperation and guidance through initiatives like ITU’s Generation Connect movement.

– Youth innovation: Marcos Athias Neto emphasised supporting youth-led digital solutions and entrepreneurship, mentioning UNDP’s Youth CoLab program.

– Youth engagement: Creating opportunities for youth participation in governance was discussed, including the importance of voting as mentioned by ASG Marcos Neto.

– Youth advisory boards: The involvement of youth in shaping digital strategies was proposed.

3. Space Technology and Innovation

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the role of space technology in creating an inclusive digital future:

– Satellite connectivity: Hamza Hameed discussed using lower earth orbit satellites to bridge digital divides in remote areas.

– Global perspective: Sara Sabry, the first Egyptian astronaut, shared her unique viewpoint on global interconnectedness from space, noting that “From space there are no lines separating countries, no divisions between people.”

– Innovation potential: Speakers explored how space technology could drive innovation and contribute to sustainable development goals.

4. Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development

The potential of digital innovation to drive sustainable development was a key theme:

– AI for social good: Clara Brown explored leveraging AI to address global challenges.

– Digital entrepreneurship: Supporting youth-led digital businesses was emphasised.

– Localised solutions: Priscilla Efe Johnson stressed customising digital innovations for specific community needs.

– Intellectual property: Edward Kwakwa discussed WIPO’s initiatives to make IP rights more accessible to young innovators.

5. Mentorship and Tools for Innovation

Rather than focusing solely on formal education, the discussion emphasized the importance of mentorship and providing tools for innovation:

– Peer learning: Examples of peer learning platforms were shared.

– Innovation tools: Nchimunuya Munyama emphasized the need to provide tools for innovation to young people in underserved areas.

– Customised approaches: The need for tailored digital skills programmes was discussed.

6. Artistic Representation of the Digital Future

Anatola Araba’s performance provided an artistic perspective on the digital future, emphasizing themes of connectivity, innovation, and youth empowerment. This creative element added depth to the discussion and highlighted the importance of diverse forms of expression in envisioning the future.

Conclusion and Future Directions

The discussion concluded with Priscilla Efe Johnson and Tayma Abdalhadi emphasizing the need for inclusive thinking and remembering youth in conflict zones. Key takeaways included:

1. The need for multifaceted approaches to address the digital divide.

2. The importance of youth empowerment and inclusion in digital policymaking.

3. The potential of space technology and digital innovation to contribute to sustainable development goals.

4. The necessity of localised and customised digital solutions.

5. The value of mentorship and providing tools for innovation.

Suggested action items included implementing the ITU’s IP Youth Empowerment Strategy, scaling up promising youth-led digital solutions, and developing modern tech policies to accelerate innovative technologies like lower earth orbit satellites for connectivity.

The discussion also touched on the Global Digital Compact, highlighting its importance in shaping the future of digital governance. The overall tone was optimistic and forward-looking, with a sense of urgency about the need to act quickly to shape an inclusive digital future. The diverse perspectives shared by the speakers, informed by a consultation process described by Yurii Romashko, highlighted the complexity of the challenges ahead, but also the wealth of innovative ideas and commitment to creating a more equitable digital world.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): So, thank you so much for being here. That was an excellent, excellent session. Thank you so much to the gender session for setting the context. We request and invite everyone in the room to please take a seat. We will get started with our digital session. We will focus on a lot of interesting things and we have an amazing panel of experts and speakers lined up for the session. Again, maybe start to move and center yourself and find a spot to sit down and we’ll get the show started. Thank you.

Official Summit Video: In our accelerating digital age, incredible opportunities exist. But many young people continue to face major barriers. Poor connectivity, a lack of digital skills and limited access to devices are just some of the challenges that deepen the digital divide and prevent young people from sharing their voices. From participating in the digital economy and from accessing vital resources. As technologies evolve, new digital risks emerge, including online safety, security and privacy, misinformation, deep fakes, tech-facilitated gender-based violence and the mental health toll of social media. So, what kind of digital future do we want? How can we minimize these risks while harnessing the power of digital technology to build an inclusive, safe and equitable digital world for all? Young people are navigating these questions and shaping the digital future today.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator):  Awesome, nothing like an AI-generated video to kick off the digital session. Thank you so much again for being here today. We appreciate your presence. And again, it was a real. important question. How many of you paid attention to the video? Raise your hand because there were a lot of people moving around. What kind of digital future do we want? And the goal is youth led. I know we’re halfway through the session for today. I’m gonna scream what kind of digital future do we want and I want to hear back youth led. What kind of digital future do we want? That was pretty good. I thought I would have to do a second time. Thank you so much again. Again, as the video has shared, the digital revolution is an unprecedented opportunity for global development and connectivity. But it also highlights a lot of inequalities. The previous session did touch upon them and we will explore them much more deeply in the context of digital divide. Furthermore, exclusion from digital technology policymaking sidelines youth voices and documents and policies and frameworks that define the future of digital cooperation on various levels often miss that youth engagement component. The Global Digital Compact, which we will hopefully agree on in the next 48 hours, is an agreement that aims to establish a framework for a secure, free, and open digital future. There are six main objectives for the Global Digital Compact and I know many of you are really aware and well-versed in the document, but for those who are joining us for the first time, the objectives are closing all digital divides and accelerating progress across the sustainable development goals. Expand inclusion in and benefits for the digital economy for all. Foster an inclusive, open, safe, and secure digital space that respects, protects, and promotes human rights. Advance responsible, equitable, and interoperable data governance approaches. Enhance international governance of artificial intelligence for the benefit of all. And then there’s a lot of follow-up and mechanisms and reviews that we will also explore more. But when we talk about digital and AI, something that a lot of people do not think about is how digital is enabling space. And how many of you wanted to be an astronaut when you were growing up? Raise your hand. No? I had dreams of being an astronaut till I found out I had glasses in my seventh grade. But here we have today someone who is inspiring and who has done it. She thought about it and done it, did it. We have the first female African astronaut. Her ability to discuss the themes of future space and sustainability will set the agenda for today and how we can explore more on the topics of digital and AI divide and what the future can potentially look like. I would like to invite onto the stage the CEO of Deep Space Initiative and the first Egyptian astronaut, Sara Sabry.

Sara Sabry: Distinguished guests, esteemed leaders, and fellow citizens of the world. My name is Sara Sabry. I am proud to stand before you today as the first Egyptian astronaut and the first Arab woman and the first woman from the African continent to go to space. I’ve had the rare privilege of seeing our planet from a perspective that few experience. A vantage point that transcends borders, cultures, and divisions. From space there are no lines separating countries, no divisions between people. They’re just one earth, our shared home. And it is more interconnected, more united, and more hopeful than we often realize. But here on the ground I’ve seen something very different. As a woman from Africa and the Middle East, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of oppression and injustice. From gender inequality, to suppression of free speech, to the denial of basic human rights. These are challenges that people in my region and around the world confront every single day. Too often it is the most vulnerable, especially women and children, who bear the brunt of these struggles. But there is hope. Because we, the people of this world, have the power to change these realities. But hope is not a passive emotion, it is an act of choice. It is the belief that the future is in our hands and that the problems we face, no matter how overwhelming, are solvable. As an engineer, I always approach problems by breaking them down into manageable parts. It’s how I design solutions, step-by-step, piece-by-piece. And this is how we must approach our biggest challenges facing humanity today. Whether it’s protecting human rights or confronting climate change, we can and we must solve these issues one step at a time. Let me tell you about the view from space. From up there, you see Earth as it truly is. A single living organism covered by a thin blue line, the atmosphere, that protects us all. It’s so fragile, yet incredibly powerful. Just like our own role on this planet. Fragile, but capable of immense impact. Climate change is a direct threat to that thin blue line, to the very system that sustains life on Earth. And though the problem seems enormous, the solution is within our grasp. But it starts with us, with the choices we make every day, and the actions we demand from our leaders. I stand here as part of a generation that refuses to accept a broken world. Young people today are not just calling for change, we are leading it. We are pushing for justice, for equality, for the rights of every person to be respected. We are fighting for this Earth, knowing that it is not just a fight for nature, but a fight for humanity’s future. We understand that these issues, human rights, environmental protection, equality, are not separate struggles. They are all part of the same mission, to build a future where every person can thrive. Each of us has a role to play. No matter where you come from, no matter what position you hold, or the resources you have, we have a responsibility to act. And if we work together, we can address these problems step by step. It starts with breaking them down and focusing on solutions. We have the ability to dismantle oppression, protect human rights, and reverse the tide of climate change, but only if we choose to act now. As the first Egyptian, the first Arab woman, and the first African woman to travel to space, I am living proof that barriers can be broken. Change is possible. Our world is more interconnected than we think, and our actions ripple across borders. The challenges we face may be great, but so is our capacity for innovation, resilience, and hope. We can choose hope. We can choose action. We can create the future we deserve, one where human rights are upheld, one where the Earth is protected, and where no one is left behind. Let us take responsibility for this planet. Let us protect the thin blue line that shields us. And let us unite in our shared mission to safeguard the rights and future of all people. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much, Sara. I think it’s truly important for us to recognize that the digital divide is not a phenomenon that is an isolated event. It exists because of the broken systems and structures that exist within our society. And it’s also really important to understand the role of government’s policy and education in bridging this digital divide. Our next two speakers are going to be talking about government perspectives on digital and AI divide, and how education and skills can be a key to bridging the digital divide. I want to invite onto the stage Ms. Melissa Michelle Munoz-Suro, who is on the ITU Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Board, and is also on the Government Office for ICT in the Dominican Republic. And also Zubair Junjunia, who is the founder of Z-Notes, and also a Generation 17 youth leader. Melissa and Zubair, the stage is yours.

Melissa Michelle Munoz Suro: When I was 25, I found myself standing in a room full of policymakers, developers, designers tasked with a monumental responsibility, leading the development of the Dominican Republic national AI strategy. The first one in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean. And I knew this was much bigger than me. It wasn’t just about policy or technology, it was about the future of millions of Dominicans who were left behind in the digital age. You see, 2.6 billion people around the world are still not connected. While we’re here talking about the latest AI breakthroughs, the vast part of the world is just struggling to lock on. I was 19 when I first entered the public sector, and I saw right in front of me all the challenges our community faced. Rural areas without internet, studying without access to digital education, or even electricity. And it was clear to me that this digital and AI divide was not just a technical issue, but a social one. I believe that digital transformation wasn’t just for Silicon Valley or Beijing, it has to be for everyone, from my home country to the most remote communities on the planet. And how do we bridge this divide? One powerful answer is you. In my work, I have seen how my team of 33 young people bring creativity, passion, and perspective into policymaking. That’s why, for example, we launched initiatives like Semillero Digital, where we’re turning 100 young people who were neither studying or working into skilled developers ready to shape the future of AI in the Dominican Republic. We have the opportunities to use AI to enhance education, drive economic growth, and solve the environmental challenges, but AI will only be as good as the data we fit into it. If the training data, the languages, and the perspective behind AI are biased or incomplete, we risk developing an AI system that… and amplify these biases. The DRAI strategy is a bold commitment to regional integration in Latin America with a clear message. AI will be regional or it will not be. Everything we develop will be in and on Spanish with our scientists, ensuring that AI reflects all culture. To build responsible AI, we must focus on inclusion, not just in theory, but in real concrete ways. The UN has unique capacity to champion what I call AI inclusion. And this means including our data, our problems, our language in the development of AI. The AI for Good Summit show AI’s potential to face the global challenges. But for success, we need standards and interoperability. At the UN’s AI Governance Day, the work set the foundation for responsible AI. AI need of creating guidelines, UN values, and support for developing skills in developing countries. In AI governance, we are still focused on regulation, but the world is starting to ask what now? It’s not enough to regulate, we need to implement AI that truly benefits everyone. My message is clear. Young leaders, make me sure this future isn’t just driven by technology, it’s driven by people. Thank you.

Zubair Junjunia: 10 years ago, I chose not to accept the status quo, the uneven playing of education. Everyone has a right to access quality education. And at the age of 16, in my own small way, I wanted to make a difference. And I started a website, ZNotes, to share my own study notes. Today, ZNotes is the world’s largest peer learning community that has reached over five and a half million students in 190 countries. And it is thanks to thousands of young people who have joined this as a global movement. Our community powered learning platform has proven to improve students’ self-efficacy, their sense of global citizenship, and their willingness to contribute towards social development. And it leverages three of our greatest assets in our fight against educational inequality. Number one, the power of youth. Young people are not just passive beneficiaries, and we need to flip the script. Empower them to be agents of change, to be creators of education, to be proponents of education, and you can see the difference that happens. The power of community. Many of you will remember learning from each other after break, after school, in coffee shops. Peer learning is proven to be an incredible way of improving academic learning outcomes. And the third one, the power of technology. We have the opportunity to learn from the best teachers, from accessing cutting-edge research, and connect with others across the globe. Emerging technologies like AI are now having the opportunity to personalize learning, empower educators, and enable inclusive learning assessments. And so, it is more important than ever before in our fight against educational inequality that we think about the barrier of the digital divide. To our heads of states convening next week, an inclusive digital world is integral to an inclusive global society. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator):  Thank you, Melissa and Zubair. And I think I want to touch upon something that they both mentioned, is that we live in a world that has significantly changed over the last two decades. There are many things that are the same. We’re still fighting against those same things, but the context has changed. And with the change in the context, we need new leaders. AI policy, digital policy, cannot have young people as participants. We need youth leaders in digital and AI governance and policy plans. With that, it is my pleasure to invite… on our first panelists who are expert speakers and representatives from government. I would like to invite Minister Mohamed Orman Bangura from the Minister of Youth from Sierra Leone. Eylul Ercin, who is a youth leader, AI developer, and global teen advisor at GirlUp. Hamza Hameed, lawyer, Access Partnership, and a member of the ITU Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Board. And Dr. Emra Mian, who is the Director General for Digital Technologies and Telecom, Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology UK. Please, a round of applause for our panelists. Thank you so much again for joining us today, and we appreciate the different perspectives you bring. My first question is for His Excellency Mohamed Bangura. Can you share any examples of how Sierra Leone is empowering young people through digital inclusion policies and initiatives? What role do you believe governments, particularly in low-income countries, should play in closing that digital divide?

Mohamed Bangura: Yeah, thank you very much. As a government, I was blessed to serve under the presidency of retired Brigadier General Smotherbill six, seven years ago. And one thing we believe governments everywhere, especially in low-income countries, should do is that the presidency has to believe in young people. I happened to serve in a government that he was head of state at 28, and he left, he came back after 20 years, happens to be a president. And the first time of his service, which I served before, I was appointed as minister at 32. He, our flagship program happens to be human capital that says you feed the brain, you feed the tummy, try to be very healthy. And the presidency has to be deliberate in digital investment and believe in young people. That’s because of the youth bulge, government leadership has to be deliberative in bringing young people at the table. one of the youngest cabinets, you have a Minister of Foreign Affairs, 33, you have a Minister of Communication and Innovation, 27, Chief Minister, Dr. David Sengeh, happens to be around 36, 37, and it’s deliberate that government has to believe in young people, and by so doing, for you to enable young people to reach their potential, you bring them on the table. Innovation technology, the Presidency also believes that our current challenges, our current problems can only be solved by innovation and technology. As a result of that, he appointed a Chief Minister, a Chief Innovation Officer from MIT, Dr. Sengeh, who happens to be a Minister of Basic Education, and now he’s the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister is like the Prime Minister of a country. And deliberately, he also created a space, Directorate of Science and Technology, under his Presidency, that he supervised directly. And that notwithstanding, he created a Ministry of Communication and Innovation, appointed a young lady at the age of 27, to ensure that she leads that area. So, from the area of government, what we believe is that young people, I mean, they’re not asking for favor, they’re in the majority. I remember creating the space for every young individual from achievement level, district level, national level, they should be at the center of every stage. And when you’re serving in cabinets, you should ensure that you don’t see young people as coming for your job. It’s like you’re just creating the space to ensure that they have access to the Presidency. It’s as a result of that, every year we have what we call the Tech Summit. You bring innovators, you bring young people, you bring the Presidency, you bring entrepreneurs, you bring potential investors in the youth space, in the digital space, to meet and discuss the challenges, solutions, and how do they want it to be. So what we believe as a government is that women, especially female youth, should not just be at the back end, they should also reach at the cabinet area. So the only way we believe that things will change, having more young people in cabinet, especially more women, we’ll have the GIBI Act that says every position, parliament, appointment, should be 30 percent. The last cabinet before this, we have the Safe Abortion Bill, which was presented by the Minister of Health, Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Angelika, to possibly just 28 years. So we still believe that young people should be at the center, young people should be role model, and they should be given the space by the presidency, and every facet, they should be the key decision-making table.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): I appreciate that message a lot. And everybody here has heard it. You need to run for parliament. And taking the insights from you, you shared, young women also need to be a leader, leadership positions, and kind of share their message. And we have a young female leader on our panel. Elul, can you share a little bit about how AI both promises solutions and presents risks for the marginalized communities? And what do you think are some of the most pressing ethical, technical challenges facing young people in digital age? And don’t on the hat of if you were the parliamentarian, and you could wave a magic wand.

Eylul Ercin: Thank you for this question. That’s really great and really current. I think we’ve been seeing more and more on the news about legislation regarding AI, and it’s gaining momentum, especially discussions around privacy concerns or ownership of intellectual property. Something that I want to emphasize, an issue that I think goes relatively unnoticed is biased data sets that lead to biased algorithms. I’m going to try to demonstrate with an example. So there is a case where Amazon actually stopped using a discontinued hiring algorithm because they discovered after a while that the algorithm was favoring certain words on resumes that were used more commonly, overwhelmingly more commonly by men, like executed. Certain algorithms that feed on data sets can lead to the amplification of existing inequalities. But that is not to say that we want to kind of, you know, stop with what we’re doing with AI because actually there is so much more potential to it. So it’s a blank canvas, basically. It’s not evil inherently. It’s just what we teach it. So if we use AI the way we want it to be, if we feed data sets to it that are inclusive and diverse, then AI holds so much potential for the future.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much. And I think it’s really important to understand who is the creators, who are the creators and who is influencing the creators. And I think I was talking to Dr. Emra a little bit about AI and everything, and something that he brought up was it’s important to focus on emerging technologies, but many in the world also lack access. We need to simultaneously talk about how do we get more research in emerging technologies, but also focus on bridging the digital divide simultaneously because this is a once in a lifetime movement and point for us to change the course. Dr. Emra, and given this context, what are some of the most persistent digital divides for you that you’ve observed from the government perspective? Can you share some impactful initiatives that the UK government has supported to engage young people in digital policymaking?

Emra Mian: Sure, thanks very much. I mean, first of all, just to say that I think a lot of what’s been said in the last few minutes about AI and data, I think there’s a lot there to reflect on and a lot there for us to act on in concert. Just three other things that I wanted to pull out very quickly. I think first is the point that you’ve just introduced about digital infrastructure. An inclusive digital future for all will be hampered if people don’t have equal access to high quality digital infrastructure. And in the UK, this manifests itself with young people who grow up in rural or remote areas not having that access. But even sometimes in urban areas where you might only be a few streets away from very high quality digital infrastructure, but where you live, perhaps because people may have lower incomes, you don’t have that same access. This is something that we’re acting on within the UK, but I think this is clearly something we need to act on in lots of other places and in concert as well. The second thing I just wanted to very quickly pull out was the way in which we also need to improve digital skills, and that’s such an important part of inclusivity. And again, this is something that government, business, and civil society can act together on. In fact, some of the very effective ways in which people learn digital skills online is when they’re trying to do things that a commercial provider is doing. So a lot of people’s knowledge about and confidence of doing things online comes from, for example, making or receiving payments. And so financial institutions have got a responsibility here alongside governments and civil society. And then the third thing I just wanted very quickly to mention is online safety. I think we face a real risk that people who are not safe online will retreat from these digital spaces, and for that reason, we will fail to have an inclusive digital future. Government clearly has a role here in terms of regulation. Civil society has a role here in terms of showing where people are not safe and helping to bring transparency to that. And clearly businesses, including technology companies, have a responsibility here to ensure that their spaces are as safe as possible.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much. And again, it’s so interesting you share that message because for many in the room who are young people, they’ve had pictures taken of them from the moment they started walking. And there’s albums and albums of pictures, and all of that is data. And what happens when the digital space that you are born into doesn’t feel like you belong there, where do you go? And a lot of you mentioned a lot of those themes. Hamza, as a lawyer, I’m gonna ask on you to kind of tie the knots on the different themes we’ve heard here. From your perspective, how can innovative technologies bridge the digital divide with support from policy, but also ensure that perspectives from underserved communities are represented?

Hamza Hameed: Thanks a lot for that question, and a big thank you to all the facilitators of the Action Days for organizing this fantastic occasion and dialogue. Look, imagine a young mind brimming with ideas and thoughts and not being able to express them or share them with anyone simply because of a lack of internet. Now, this is reality for approximately 2.6 billion people all around the world, more than 50% of whom are young people. So 1.3 billion young people around the world don’t have access to good internet or internet at all to be able to really share their voices online. I think bridging the digital divide isn’t just about access to technology, it’s really about empowering young people to come online, share their voices, and shape their futures, whether that be through access to education, whether that be access to healthcare, or whether that be the ability to set up a business. I think a lot of my work revolves around promoting space technology and connectivity through space, and I think innovative technologies like that present a fantastic opportunity to bridge the digital divide and contribute to connecting more and more people to the internet. Organizations like the ITU play a critical role here by setting standards and facilitating multilateral dialogue to really get these people on the internet and to enable policymakers to put in place policies and regulations that are conducive to innovation and facilitate growth and connectivity for all. I think new technologies, for example, the rise of lower earth orbit satellites that provide internet where terrestrial networks have to. traditionally not been able to provide it, have already illustrated and connected people in the most remote parts of the world. And it’s really important for policymakers to develop modern tech policies that can accelerate the development and implementation of these innovative technologies. Space technologies like this not only help with connectivity but also promote remote sensing and disaster management, whether that be precision farming or other innovative activities that allow young people to grow their livelihoods and be more expressive online. I think bridging that digital divide will be a concerted effort. And for that, I encourage all policymakers, especially those that are here in this room today, to really think about the progressive and innovative policies that they need to put in place to bring these technologies to the people who need them the most so that we can promote and shape a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable digital future for all. Thanks.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much, Hamza. And a round of applause for our expert panelists. Thank you so much for your messages. We appreciate it. And you’ve seen it here first. Member states and youth are on the same page. And hopefully we’ll see more of that as the pad continues. Thank you so much for joining us. And as a part of the consultation for today’s session, I know many of you are watching live on the UN Web TV. As a part of the consultation planning and design of this session, we organized a consultation with various UN entities supported by the UN Youth Office, the ITU, UNDP, UNFPA, WIPO, and the Major Group for Children and Youth. And I would like to invite Yurii Romashko, who is a Generation 17 leader and the CEO of the Institute of Analytics and Advocacy to present a summary of the consultations and to represent you all watching live.

Yurii Romashko: Today, there are thousands of young leaders from all of the world here. Not everybody was able to join the summit in person. To ensure that voices of young people are heard, a global informal consultations on youth lead and inclusive digital future was open from the 3rd to 9th of September. A total of 100 global contributors joined the consultations from around the world and shared their experience. So I have the special and honorable mission to be the voice of youth and present the key takeaways from the consultations which you can see on the screen. Youth accurately identify the main barriers in accessing digital technologies among which limited infrastructure, limited digital literacy, high cost of devices and internet access. Therefore global effort and collective action are needed for universal use digital connectivity. This connectivity must provide inclusive technologies that ensure fair access for all young people to use them in a fair way. This is important because IA and technologies are essential to make a real chance to advance global goals. In this global context policy actors must engage in accessible dialogue with young people and amplify youth voices in decision-making. This requires implementation of decision-making structures at all levels for greater involvement of young people. To accelerate progress it’s necessary to focus policies on closing the digital divide and integrate digital literacy into education systems. All of this can provide extraordinary opportunities for youth driven digital innovations and sustainable development in communities. And last but not least to build just safe and inclusive artificial intelligence systems requires youth inclusion, access, transparency and governance leadership. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank You Yuri. And, again, as we’ve all heard, space does not necessarily mean the only way you get engaged with space is to be an astronaut, and we wanted to hear what you all think about what space is and technologies are and AI is. I would like to invite Daniella Darlington, who is a responsible AI leader and also a member of the ITU Secretary General, to share some perspectives about young people that she’s heard about space and AI.

Daniella Esi Darlington: Distinguished guests, fellow advocates for youth empowerment, and digital innovators. So ahead of International Youth Day, ITU, UNDISA, IGF, and UN Habitats conducted a series of quizzes with input from the Youth Advisory Board and other youth groups on space, technology, AI, and sustainable development. Now, let me invite you into the minds of the 270 young people surveyed. While questions on AI, digital divide, among others, garnered significant interest, space technology received lower interest. So according to our survey, while 95% of youth actually felt that they are more connected than ever before, only 66% could identify where the biggest digital gaps exist. Imagine a young person in a hyper-connected urban center, unaware that their fellow peers lack access to basic internet. In fact, 77% of our responders correctly understood this gap. Now consider in Africa, only 53% of youth aged between 15 and 24 are connected online, compared to a staggering 98% in Europe. This stark contrast is even more pronounced when looking at the overall population. We found a high level of awareness. among youth regarding AI and its ethical implications. An impressive 100% of the responders recognized key ethical principles in AI development among others. However, it appears that young people are unaware of how space technologies can contribute to combating hunger, with only 62% making the connection in the survey. It appears that the full potential of space data and in combating hunger among others is not known. This lack of awareness is a missed opportunity for innovation, so what do we do with this information? Our call to action is simple. Let’s bridge not just the digital divide, but the awareness divide. Let’s empower our youth, not just with the technology, but with the digital skills to solve global problems. The next breakthrough in climate action, the next breakthrough in sustainable development or agriculture, the next innovation in disaster resilience is not in a satellite or service. It’s in the minds of our youth, ready to be unlocked. Distinguished leaders, we’ve connected our youth to the world, now it’s time to connect them to its future. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much, Daniela. I feel like time is just disappearing as we hear to all these amazing expert speakers. It’s like tiny pills of knowledge that are being sent your way. It’s really important when we’re talking about digital AI, technology, infrastructure, to also recognize that all of these technologies are the end of the day human experience. And what else, if nothing, art that talks about the human experience most. And I’m privileged to invite an amazing filmmaker, futurist, Anatola Araba, who has collaborated with me. collaborated with another amazing cinematographer and advocate Malik Malik Afegbua on a performance that you’re about to experience now, and I will say it this will be a treat for your eyes and ears Anatola

Anatola Araba: Hello Thank you for joining me for a brief creative interlude this poem is about the UN’s sustainable development goals and whether we will reach them by 2030 and The importance of each voice in shaping the future. It was written by me Anatola Araba with visuals by Malik Afegbua, so please enjoy Please Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle because we are about to embark on a journey where no one has gone before Where you may ask to the future, of course My name is Anatola and I’ll be your conductor on this enchanting voyage Thank you for choosing the quantum Express the only train that travels through space and time to visit our possible shared futures Sound like science fiction Allow me to explain You see the one thing about the future is that it’s not a physical place rather the future exists as a spectrum of possibilities And every action that we take sends a ripple effect into that spectrum, shaping the timelines of tomorrow. Anyways, seatbelts on. The train is leaving the station. Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga. Gaze out of the window. Time starts to speed up. We flash past 2025, then 2027, 2030, then 2034, until we grind to a halt in the spring of 2035. We arrive in New York City, five years after the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were first slated to be achieved. This used to be the city that never slept, but now it barely treads water. The Empire State Building has been destroyed by recent hurricanes. There have been more and more of these devastating storms due to the effects of climate change. Oh, and Lower Manhattan is about 11 inches underwater. What happened here, you ask, horrified? We were supposed to have sustainable cities by 2030. Well, in this future, it appears that that was just another dream deferred. But have no fear. The future is full of possibilities, and this here was just one. Let’s head to the next stop on our voyage, one where technology and innovation were embraced to enable humans to thrive. I sure hope it’s better than this, you say. All aboard! The train is leaving this station. Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga. We flash across time like lightning through a cloud. We fly past 2035, then 2050, 2065. Until we crash. Welcome to the Nile, Egypt. Only in this future, the water that once nourished entire civilizations is almost entirely dried up. It appears that everyone was surprised when artificial superintelligence declared that the best way to protect humanity was by destroying all of nature. But by then, it was too late to stop it. This is outrageous, you cry. New technology was supposed to help bridge the digital divide, not turn our greatest nations into a wasteland. Hang your head, defeated. What are we all fighting for then, if the future is doomed to be this way? May I ask, if you would not like the world to be this way then, what is the world you imagine? The one you’d like to see if there was no limitation. Perhaps this vision could help lead us to a more hopeful destination. It doesn’t matter, you say. It’s already too late. Remember, the future is not a physical place. It exists as a spectrum of possibilities. Every action you take sends a ripple effect into that spectrum, shaping the timelines of tomorrow. But I’m not a world leader or a tech billionaire, you argue. My actions are like a tiny drop in the ocean that is tomorrow. But that’s where you’re wrong. You only need a tiny drop of food coloring. to turn the worlds of green into green. So, I will ask you once more. What needs the world to imagine if there is no limitation? Let me begin with what if. What if. What if we actually did develop sustainable cities by 2030 and communities could gather in safe, green, public spaces and gardens grew food in abundance on lawns and rooftops? What if our algorithms were guided by a north star of diversity and innovation? What if technology worked entirely with nature and AI was designed for everyone, not just the select few? What if historically marginalized voices were heard and valued and the imagination of black, indigenous, and people of color were allowed to blossom to their fullest potential? What if this were the beginning of a new era? A blinding flash washes over the parts of its friends. The light of a new possibility can be seen far in the distance. What more shines brighter than the others? A new future. One that will outboard make noise with seas to boast. What are we waiting for? Now, let’s go! All aboard! The train is approaching a new timeline. Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga. Hey, keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle because we are about to embark on a journey we’re known for. Where, you may ask? To the future! Reimagined.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): I feel like I simultaneously saw the Marvel Avengers endgame scenario and the Stephen King movie at the same time. How many of you felt goosebumps? Raise your hand. Yes, that’s the power of art and for the future that you saw and the future that we want to avoid, it’s not going to be enough to take a group of people of this size room. It’s going to take everybody out there on the planet. It’s going to take multiple generations and I am so honored to invite a panel of experts who are going to show how multiple generations are going to work together and solve this problem and steer us on the right direction. I would like to invite on to the stage our ITU Secretary General, Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin. Youth Activist, Nchimunuya Munyama. The ASG for UNDP, Mr. Marcos Neto. Science Policy Interface Focal Point, Ms. Clara Brown. And the Assistant Secretary General for WIPO, Mr. Edward Kwakwa. I would want to call this the star panel of the session. I want to jump in super quick since I know we value your time and your presence here. Ms. Doreen, we’ve heard from multiple members of your advisory panel. Thank you so much for that initiative. A round of applause. You’ve done a lot for empowering youth at ITU. Could you please elaborate more about your vision for bridging the digital divide, making technology and AI more accessible to young people, but also centering the feminist movement and the experiences of girls and young people from rural and remote areas. And I’ve heard you are the songbird of hope in the digital world, so I hope you can inject some of that is into us today.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin: Thank you so much Yash and it’s slightly intimidating I think to be in this crowd because when you’re surrounded by smart young people you know much more than than we do and congratulations to Anatole that was just amazing. Thank you. I think it’s important for young people to remember that you are the most connected demographic in history but I think it’s also important to remember that you shouldn’t or we shouldn’t take that for granted and so I thought I’d kind of pick up a little bit from what Anatola just just showed amazingly with with that screen and ask you I know it’s late but close your eyes for a second everybody open your eyes and don’t fall asleep okay it’s 2013 not 2030 2013 the UN has just done and this is actually true the world that we want consultation it was amazing because at the time a million people answer answered that survey from around the world and we thought that’s incredible but what we at the ITU found kind of shocking that in the million people that were surveyed and asked about their priorities for the future internet access to the internet to connectivity was at the bottom of the list why because every single person that answered it had access to the internet now I know time is bracing but close your eyes again open okay it’s 2030 so what does 2030 look like I think Anatola said it well in the second part 2030 and this depends on you you said we need young people to lead if you lead if you help us lead in 2030 we can have an inclusive just safe fair, sustainable future for all. That’s where we need to focus. That’s where I’m focused at the ITU with my amazing youth advisory board, with my young professionals program, with our Generation Connect movement, with all the work that we’re specifically targeting for girls, for women and girls to close that digital gender gap. We have lots of skilling programs. I’ve heard that mentioned as well before. We’re also very focused on participation. We need you. We need you at AI for Good. We need you at the WSIS Forum. We need you at our Space Sustainability Forum where we did have a number of our space youth there. So we need you at the table. Because with you, we can shape a digital future that meets your needs and that is inclusive and makes the world a better place and helps us to achieve those SDGs that are way off track. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much. And I know you didn’t say the word, but a key part of the formula is mentorship. And that’s what you’re doing, I think, even though we’re not using the word. And even in the previous panel, we’re not just gonna have young parliamentarians show up in a week. They require a lot of mentorship and it requires every generation to work together. And Nchimunuya, you’ve had an impressive journey as an innovator in sustainable technology. And you’ve heard the different ways in which young people can stay engaged and engage in policy. What do you think is the role of digital inclusion in fostering innovation in those who do not have access to fill out that survey, the people who are underserved?

Nchimunuya Munyama: Okay, thank you so much. Once again, it’s a privilege to be here, to be among the powerful panel. Thank you so much. I will start by speaking about my experience, having been coming from the underserved area of those that do not have access to technology itself. I grew up in a farm where I had to learn how to create my own tools and how to actually grow. my own tomatoes. So I can, I think all I had was just creativity but I never had the tools itself, I mean like the tool itself to actually build what I wanted to do. So bringing it to this session, I think my main focus, as she has mentioned mentorship, but my main focus is also what if we could create a system that every young person out there can be given the tools to innovate. If it be, let’s say if it’s the tech itself, it can be the tool itself to help them create what they want to create. Just like my parents taught me morals, etiquette, safety, discipline, what if we could do that to the young generations, those who are upcoming in this sector itself. So I think for me mentorship has played a key role in my upbringing in this tech industry and also like how I was involved in the space of actually getting to know about these tools and my journey actually has been inspired by that experience and I am here because I have a team of young people in my country that believe in me and also I have supported people that actually want to follow my path. So to me I see myself as a beacon of hope for others and I believe that if we create the necessary tools for the young people to create what they want to create, definitely we will have an inclusive community. And lastly I would say that we also need to be creators, we need to be creators of our own technology and not passive consumers. I believe that every young person has the knowledge and the how to create their own tools to actually thrive in that area itself. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much and you make growing tomatoes super easy, it was not. I tried in COVID, I got like three tomatoes of like a big plant that was the size of like six foot. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. And I remember the first time I was in the UN at a science event was at the SDG Digital last year. It was a full day of sessions. People were committing and ITU and UNDP are pivotal for that initiative. ASG Neto, in your experience with UNDP, how critical is digital inclusion in achieving sustainable development goals, particularly for young people in least developed countries? And how are you supporting young people get more engaged in the processes? And we see such a good work you’re doing. How are you empowering them more?

Marcos Athias Neto: Thank you. And it’s a pleasure to be here. It’s great. You know, I want the Quantum Express, but just the last stop. I do not want to see the first two stops of the Quantum Express. But it can happen. There is no reason why it should happen. If we do what Doreen said, if we do it while we’re talking here, we will have the last stop. Now, two thirds of youth under 25 years old do not have internet at home. They can’t connect it to the Z nodes that we saw the colleague talk about earlier and get an increased education or open a business. One of the things we are doing, for example, in the Asia-Pacific region, we have a program partnership with Citibank Foundation called Youth CoLab. And we’ve actually supported 19,000 young people over 28 countries to actually improve or create 2,600 business, entrepreneurship. That is the innovation that needs to come in. The technology is essential to make those innovations go forward faster than we need to do right now. We have in our Africa Bureau at UNDP, we have a program of bringing young African women. We get about 20, 40, I don’t remember how many, every year and bring to New York, put work in my office for one year, all trying to build the best capabilities in those SKUs. The important point about closing the digital divide, and we fundamentally believe, is that young people must have a voice in closing the digital divide. Right, so being on our, we are dealing with a super election year, right? We as UNDP together with other members of the UN system are huge in doing election. Almost every day we are involved in an election around the world. One of the things that are very clear for us is to make sure that young people have a voice, and engage in those elections. And that I say, are actually competing, are actually running for office, and are being elected. So for us, those are a few of the things that matters. Across from entrepreneurship, to mentorship, to governance, and good citizenship in elections. Across the gamut, the future belongs to the young, belongs to you. Please, join in. Don’t sit on the side, don’t hope that my generation is going to fix it. It’s your time. Thank you.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you so much. And the key message to everybody viewing this live, is go vote, wherever you are. That’s how you show your priorities and share feedback to policymakers. Thank you so much, ASG Marcos. Clara, as a young leader in this space, being a representative for adolescent girls, what challenges do you see for youth in accessing and utilizing digital tools to make an impact?

Clara Brown: Thank you so much. So, I’d first like to start by saying that my motivation to become a voice for youth in technology started with one line of code. And then it expanded from there to become eight coding languages and quantum computing. Some of the challenges that I foresee is a lack of intergenerational cooperation moving forward. And I think that’s something that this really showcases well that we are addressing this these challenges. I had the honor of helping to select some incredible youth innovators as nominees for the innovation showcase of the STI forum and these inspiring youth led initiatives are harnessing the power of technology for sustainable and inclusive development for vulnerable communities. In other areas I have helped fund youth led local solutions to bridge the digital divide that disproportionately affects youth and again the digital divide a crucial piece of the puzzle that we are still trying to solve. So the digital divide it disproportionately affects youth particularly young women in rural communities and it is crucial that we continue to sustainably fund and support work towards gender and socio-economic digital equity for youth and a safe equitable future for all people and our planet. As an observer constituency representative to the technology executive committee of the UNFCCC I have witnessed the power of innovation such as AI for climate action and AI for good to stimulate youth led innovation for climate action and social change. It’s time to scale up promising youth solutions. We need more international cooperation connecting young leaders in the tech and innovation space to each other as well. Raising awareness of opportunities and improving digital access democratizing the development and deployment of technology and AI to advance the SDGs globally.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator): Thank you I apologize for cutting you Clara but I also know we’re running out of time and actually that’s a great segue into I saved the last question for you because a big part of scaling up is going to be policy and is intellectual property rights, whether it be AI, data, even the compact, it’s a core component that many member states are discussing and debating. ASG, Kwakwa, can you just share a little bit about what steps is WIPO taking to make intellectual property rights more accessible to young people who are driving to change through digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and are trying to take these solutions and scale them up?

Edward Kwakwa: Thank you very much, Yash. So great question. I mean, I could take up 10 minutes of your time, but I know you are in a hurry, so I’ll be very quick. At WIPO, what we’ve tried to do, first thing, this year we launched what we call an IPS strategy. It’s IP Youth Empowerment Strategy. And that strategy aims to explain to the young people how best they can incorporate themselves in the intellectual property ecosystem. So we try and instill passion in them, we try and instill action in them, and we provide support to the young people so they use their intellectual property assets. Let me give you an example. We do things like, we call it IP in a box, in countries such as Zambia or Uganda. And what we do there is we try and use the intellectual property system and show the youth how it can be a fun thing to do, in addition to owning the intellectual property. So I know not everyone here is a football enthusiast, but let me give an example. Kylian Mbappe, what he’s done is he has trademarked his celebratory iconic stance. So this is with the European Patent Office to ensure no one uses it without his authorization. This is an important intellectual property asset. And when you have a celebrity such as. as Kylian Mbappe, exposing the benefits of the intellectual property system, you get the majority of the youth in the world also interested in the IP system. So WIPO, we are doing everything we can to make sure the youth, the most important constituents we have. And Clara, I could explain to you how this year, last year, our World IP Day theme was on IP and women. And the year before, it was on IP and the youth. So clearly all these two years, we spent the time explaining to the international community why intellectual property is important and how effective and important the role of women as well as youth is in the intellectual property ecosystem.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator):  Thank you so much. That’s important. Again, I think we started with a gender session and we see that key message running throughout every session. And a big round of applause to our star panelists. We appreciate your time. Thank you so much. Thank you so much again. And I’m going to make our ITUSG proud by saying that our closing is going to be about how the digital future is going to be woman-led. And I have two amazing speakers to share the closing remarks. I have Priscilla Efe Johnson, who is a Generation 17 leader, and Tayma Abdalhadi, who is a technologist and a digital rights advocate from Palestine. The stage is yours.

Priscilla Efe Johnson: Thank you so much everyone for your time and for being here with us. Thank you to all our panellists and to all our speakers for sharing their insights. Just to give a brief summary, we’ve heard from our panellists, we’ve heard from our youth activists and I think I would like to emphasise that technology can be leveraged as a tool to accelerate holistic development but we must emphasise the need for inclusion in bridging the digital divide. When talking about leveraging technology, especially for marginalised communities, we must understand that creating impactful digital solutions is not just about introducing fancy new tech, AI models or platforms. If we truly want to ensure that leaving no one behind is not just a catchphrase, then we must push for basic computer literacy for primary school girls in rural Nigeria as much as we push for new AI models. I pose this as an urge to leaders, innovators and activists that as we embrace innovation, we must ensure the customisation and localisation of innovation to the specific needs of underserved communities by ensuring inclusion of language, gender identities and the unique context of each individual to bridge the digital and development divide, leaving no girl, no woman and no one behind. Thank you.

Tayma Abdalhadi: Thank you so much, Efe. With this, we close today but as representatives of our youth, it would not be right not to put on the forefront and remember our heroes, our people under conflicts, under rockets, our youth who are fighting every day in Gaza, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, every day to make this future happen while we discuss it here safely in this room. We would also want to invite you all to put this mindset, this inclusive mindset that you are one accident, one gene, one born in a geographical area away from being in the position of those youth under rockets, under hunger, under censorship. So, this is an invitation from me and all the youth that spoke today to think before we speak, to think before we develop the technology, to think before we make any resolution, whether it was the president of the country or the youngest student in the education. Every person can make a difference and every person can convey this message of inclusivity, justice and support. Thank you, everyone. This is Tayma from Palestine and see you tomorrow.

Sri Yeswanth (Yash) Tadimalla (Moderator):  Thank you so much, everyone. going to end it the way we started. I’m going to ask, what kind of digital future do you want? What kind of digital future do you want? Thank you.

Agreement Points

Digital divide disproportionately affects youth and marginalized communities

Emra Mian

Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Clara Brown

Yurii Romashko

Infrastructure gaps – Limited connectivity and access to devices in underserved areas

Gender gap in digital access – Disproportionate impact on women and girls

Rural-urban divide – Lack of access in rural and remote areas

Economic barriers – High costs of devices and internet access

Multiple speakers highlighted various aspects of the digital divide, emphasizing its disproportionate impact on youth, women, rural communities, and those facing economic barriers.

Need for youth representation and empowerment in digital policymaking

Mohamed Bangura

Marcos Athias Neto

Youth representation – Need for youth voices in digital policymaking

Youth innovation – Supporting youth-led digital solutions and entrepreneurship

Youth engagement – Creating opportunities for youth participation in governance

Both speakers emphasized the importance of including young people in decision-making processes, particularly in government and digital policymaking, as well as supporting youth-led innovations and entrepreneurship.

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers all emphasized the importance of ethical considerations in AI development, including the need for diverse datasets, responsible development practices, and governance frameworks to ensure AI aligns with human rights and ethics.

Eylul Ercin

Melissa Michelle Munoz Suro

Algorithmic bias – Risk of AI amplifying existing inequalities

Data inclusivity – Need for diverse and representative datasets

Responsible AI development – Aligning AI with human rights and ethics

AI governance – Developing frameworks for ethical AI use

Unexpected Consensus

Space technology for digital inclusion

Hamza Hameed

Sara Sabry

Space technology – Using satellite connectivity to bridge digital divides

While coming from different perspectives (technology and astronautics), both speakers highlighted the potential of space technology to address global challenges, including digital inclusion. This unexpected connection between space exploration and digital rights showcases a novel approach to bridging the digital divide.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement centered around addressing the digital divide, empowering youth in digital policymaking, ensuring ethical AI development, and leveraging innovative technologies (including space technology) for digital inclusion.

Consensus level

There was a high level of consensus among speakers on the importance of addressing the digital divide and involving youth in digital policymaking. This strong agreement suggests a unified direction for future efforts in digital inclusion and youth empowerment. However, the specific approaches and focus areas varied among speakers, indicating a need for diverse strategies to address these complex issues.

Disagreement Points

Approach to bridging the digital divide

Emra Mian

Clara Brown

Yurii Romashko

Infrastructure gaps – Limited connectivity and access to devices in underserved areas

Rural-urban divide – Lack of access in rural and remote areas

Economic barriers – High costs of devices and internet access

While all speakers agree on the existence of a digital divide, they emphasize different aspects as the primary barrier: Mian focuses on infrastructure gaps, Brown highlights the rural-urban divide, and Romashko emphasizes economic barriers.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around prioritizing different aspects of the digital divide and approaches to ethical AI development.

Disagreement level

The level of disagreement among the speakers is relatively low. Most speakers agree on the overall goals but differ in their emphasis on specific aspects or approaches. This suggests a general consensus on the importance of addressing the digital divide and ensuring ethical AI development, which is positive for advancing these issues. However, the different emphases may lead to challenges in prioritizing specific actions or allocating resources.

Partial Agreements

All speakers agree on the need for ethical AI development, but they propose different approaches: Ercin focuses on addressing algorithmic bias through diverse datasets, and Munoz Suro advocates for developing governance frameworks.

Eylul Ercin

Melissa Michelle Munoz Suro

Algorithmic bias – Risk of AI amplifying existing inequalities

Responsible AI development – Aligning AI with human rights and ethics

AI governance – Developing frameworks for ethical AI use

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers all emphasized the importance of ethical considerations in AI development, including the need for diverse datasets, responsible development practices, and governance frameworks to ensure AI aligns with human rights and ethics.

Eylul Ercin

Melissa Michelle Munoz Suro

Algorithmic bias – Risk of AI amplifying existing inequalities

Data inclusivity – Need for diverse and representative datasets

Responsible AI development – Aligning AI with human rights and ethics

AI governance – Developing frameworks for ethical AI use

Key Takeaways

The digital divide remains a significant challenge, with infrastructure gaps, skills gaps, and economic barriers limiting access for many, especially in underserved areas.

Youth empowerment and inclusion in digital policymaking is crucial for shaping an inclusive digital future.

Ethical considerations in AI and technology development, including addressing algorithmic bias and ensuring online safety, are critical.

Digital innovation, including space technology and AI, has significant potential to contribute to sustainable development goals.

Localized and customized digital solutions are needed to address the specific needs of different communities.

Intergenerational cooperation and mentorship are important for bridging the digital divide and fostering youth innovation.

Resolutions and Action Items

Implement the ITU’s IP Youth Empowerment Strategy to engage young people in the intellectual property ecosystem

Scale up promising youth-led digital solutions and innovations

Integrate digital literacy into education systems

Increase youth participation in digital policymaking and governance

Develop modern tech policies to accelerate innovative technologies like lower earth orbit satellites for connectivity

Unresolved Issues

Specific strategies for addressing the digital gender gap in different regions

Detailed plans for ensuring AI governance frameworks are implemented globally

Methods for balancing rapid technological advancement with ethical considerations and human rights protection

Concrete steps for making intellectual property rights more accessible to young innovators in developing countries

Suggested Compromises

Balancing the focus on advanced technologies like AI with efforts to provide basic digital access and literacy in underserved areas

Combining top-down policy approaches with bottom-up youth-led initiatives to address the digital divide

Integrating both global standards and localized solutions in digital development efforts

From space there are no lines separating countries, no divisions between people. They’re just one earth, our shared home. And it is more interconnected, more united, and more hopeful than we often realize.

Speaker

Sara Sabry

Reason

This comment provides a unique perspective from someone who has seen Earth from space, challenging typical views of national borders and divisions.

Impact

It set a tone of unity and interconnectedness for the discussion, encouraging participants to think globally rather than locally about digital issues.

Young people are not just passive beneficiaries, and we need to flip the script. Empower them to be agents of change, to be creators of education, to be proponents of education, and you can see the difference that happens.

Speaker

Zubair Junjunia

Reason

This comment challenges the traditional view of youth as recipients of education and policy, instead positioning them as active creators and change agents.

Impact

It shifted the conversation towards discussing ways to actively involve youth in shaping digital policies and educational initiatives.

Something that I want to emphasize, an issue that I think goes relatively unnoticed is biased data sets that lead to biased algorithms.

Speaker

Eylul Ercin

Reason

This comment highlights a critical but often overlooked issue in AI development, bringing attention to the ethical implications of data bias.

Impact

It deepened the discussion on AI ethics and prompted consideration of the need for diverse and inclusive data sets in AI development.

I think bridging the digital divide isn’t just about access to technology, it’s really about empowering young people to come online, share their voices, and shape their futures, whether that be through access to education, whether that be access to healthcare, or whether that be the ability to set up a business.

Speaker

Hamza Hameed

Reason

This comment reframes the digital divide issue from mere access to technology to a broader concept of empowerment and opportunity.

Impact

It expanded the conversation beyond technical solutions to consider the broader societal impacts of digital inclusion.

If we truly want to ensure that leaving no one behind is not just a catchphrase, then we must push for basic computer literacy for primary school girls in rural Nigeria as much as we push for new AI models.

Speaker

Priscilla Efe Johnson

Reason

This comment provides a concrete example of how to balance cutting-edge technology with basic digital literacy, emphasizing true inclusivity.

Impact

It grounded the discussion in practical realities and highlighted the importance of addressing foundational digital skills alongside advanced technologies.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by consistently emphasizing themes of inclusivity, youth empowerment, and the need for a holistic approach to digital development. They challenged participants to think beyond technological solutions and consider the broader societal implications of digital policies. The comments also highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping the digital future, from the view from space to the needs of rural schoolgirls. This led to a rich, multifaceted discussion that balanced aspirational goals with practical considerations for achieving true digital inclusion.

How can we ensure AI and technology development includes diverse data sets and perspectives to avoid bias?

Speaker

Eylul Ercin

Explanation

Important to prevent AI from amplifying existing inequalities and ensure inclusive development

What policies and initiatives can improve digital infrastructure access in both rural and urban low-income areas?

Speaker

Emra Mian

Explanation

Critical for addressing persistent digital divides and ensuring equal access

How can governments, businesses, and civil society work together to improve digital skills, especially for underserved populations?

Speaker

Emra Mian

Explanation

Necessary for true digital inclusion and empowerment

What steps can be taken to enhance online safety and prevent marginalized groups from retreating from digital spaces?

Speaker

Emra Mian

Explanation

Essential for creating an inclusive digital future where all feel safe to participate

How can innovative space technologies be leveraged to bridge the digital divide in remote areas?

Speaker

Hamza Hameed

Explanation

Offers potential solutions for connecting underserved populations globally

What policies are needed to accelerate the development and implementation of innovative connectivity technologies?

Speaker

Hamza Hameed

Explanation

Crucial for enabling widespread access to digital tools and opportunities

How can we create systems to provide young people, especially in underserved areas, with the tools and resources to innovate?

Speaker

Nchimunuya Munyama

Explanation

Important for fostering innovation and empowering youth in all communities

What strategies can increase youth participation in governance and policymaking, particularly around digital issues?

Speaker

Marcos Athias Neto

Explanation

Critical for ensuring young people’s voices shape the digital future

How can we improve international cooperation to connect young leaders in tech and innovation globally?

Speaker

Clara Brown

Explanation

Necessary for scaling up promising youth-led solutions to global challenges

What steps can be taken to make intellectual property rights more accessible and understandable to young innovators?

Speaker

Edward Kwakwa

Explanation

Important for empowering youth to protect and benefit from their innovations